We have come upon another Friday, and guess what? A new chapter of His Corrupted Mind! I have been particularly excited to post this chapter, for reasons stated in the previous chapter.
Well, this is a short A/N... Anyway, within this newest installment of the story, sleep eludes the Huntress of the North, wanderlust imposes itself, and a dark, familiar figure makes his presence known to Inconnu once again.
Also, this one's for you SethadoreVGC!
Read on!
Chapter XIII: Midnight Truths
"Midnight, strange mystic hour, when the veil between the frail present and the eternal future grows thin." -Harriet Beecher Stowe
It was now the night of the day after the Council of Elrond, and in the darkening hours Inconnu found herself restless. Sleep eluded her this night and she could not figure as to why that was. The Fellowship of the Ring would leave in the early hours of the dawn and Inconnu would be leaving with them. She wanted rest, but something kept nagging at her from the very corners of her consciousness. The only thing Inconnu did know was that she had to go somewhere, a specific place, but she knew not where she had to be.
Inconnu now closed her eyes, took in a deep breath, held it in for a few moments, and then released it. After several centuries of dealing with wanderlust, one might think that Inconnu was quite used to being led around by a force greater than her own will.
In all truth she was familiar with it, however that did not mean she had to enjoy it most days. Opening her eyes again, Inconnu gave in to the feeling and followed where it wanted to lead her.
The path she took led her to the outskirts of Rivendell, then through the outlying forests. Inconnu narrowed her gaze slightly, a strong sense of déjà vu filling her subconscious. I rode through here once, though I barely remember.
She continued to walk along a path nearly overgrown due to its disuse, and the stars could barely be seen through the thick cover of leaves. The moon itself was also hidden but tonight it was full, the strength of its light filtered through the leaves making spots of moonlight along the path. Inconnu used it as a guide to keep to her newfound trail and noticed how the light and shadows played with each other.
Soon the sound of gurgling water reached her ears, and by her estimate she was close to the font of the River Bruinen. Inconnu picked up her pace, becoming eager to see what would await her at the place where the Loudwater sprung forth from the earth.
Even with her quickened stride it took her some time to reach the intended destination of her wanderlust, and when she did finally break through the trees, what she saw stunned her.
She was at the very edges of a clearing, and though it wasn't very large due to the pile of massive rocks it made quite the impression. From several openings in the rocks themselves flowed a sheer waterfall over the rocks, cascading down them until they pooled into a stream that, when followed, would become the River Bruinen.
The moon's light filled the area, lighting up everything it touched and giving the water a soft white glow. This was a beautiful place filled with the same calm as Imladris, though stronger, and Inconnu couldn't help but relax her guard to take it all in. This was the most relaxed she had been in centuries.
But it was a mistake to let her guard down so much when a long blade made to rest at the side of her neck. Then a familiar voice, deep in tone with hints of resonant hollowness, spoke from behind her.
"Baj anausan movemnav agh lat mat." Make any movement and you die.
Inconnu complied, remaining very still but she would not be silenced, lightly snapping at him. "Do not speak your master's tongue here Er-Murazor!" She heard the metal of his gauntlet clench his sword, but continued nonetheless. "We stand in a place of peace, a clearing that has remained undisturbed for millennia it seems. I will not have this font of life violated by your master's ways."
Silence. Cold, unfeeling silence enveloped the two of them as the Witch-King kept his blade at her neck. Inconnu's hand itched to draw her own weapon, but she didn't. The same feeling that told her to shout his name during the chase and to caress his jaw only a few days before told her not to.
Instead of reaching for her sword she lifted her hand up carefully, lightly placing two fingers on the edges of his blade. Throughout all this the Witch-King made no move to keep his earlier threat, giving Inconnu more confidence as she dared to move the blade away from her neck.
He did nothing to stop her, his arm giving way to small amount of force she applied.
Inconnu's fingers now lowered the blade, only stopping when its tip slightly dug into the ground. She allowed herself to release her breath after she stepped away from the Witch-King. The silence still remained when she turned to face him. He was unnaturally still as they looked at each other, and Inconnu did not know how to break the silence between them.
His sword was limp at his side. Another breath, another, and the moments felt like small eternities until his voice echoed from within the darkness of his hood. This time he spoke in Westron. "What did you do to me?"
Inconnu sighed faintly before replying, "My answer has not changed since our last meeting. I truly do not know; I barely understand the nature of the words I spoke to you."
The Witch-King took a step closer and in reaction Inconnu took a step back. She may be destined to save him, but that did not mean that she was going to completely trust him at this point of time. He needed to earn that. The Witch-King made no further movements as he said, "Then you must know the why. You would not have acted if you had no reason, no motivation!"
Now he took a step toward her again, emphasizing his next words.
"No incentive."
Another step, and Inconnu found she could not retreat from his advances.
His blade scraped across the ground, the metal occasionally nicking a rock. Minor screeches in reference to the ones of a Nazgûl. Then he was practically towering over her, even though there was still a step between them. Inconnu stared into the dark shadows of his hood, well aware that he was staring back. She knew in this moment that he would not take silence for an answer, nor would he accept any words synonymous with ignorance. Inconnu's reply was soft in tone.
"I did it because I want to save you."
This took the Witch-King aback. Of all the things she could have said, this was one he was not expecting. He could not have prepared himself for such a response, but was able to reply in an unaffected tone, "Save me? From what or whom do you wish to save me?"
"Your fate." Inconnu said simply, and his next words held an underlying growl.
"My fate? I fear nothing woman, least of all my fate. No man has faced me in mortal combat and lived. No man can. I know my fate."
Her lips curled into a small, knowing smile at his confidence, though it sounded to her more like arrogance. "Do you truly?"
He harshly gripped the hilt of his sword, each word said in a biting tone. "What do you say?"
"I say that you know only half of your fate, the part that gives you confidence in eternal victory and so fuels your pride. 'He will not return to this land. Far off yet is his doom, and not by the hand of man will he fall.'"
With this, Inconnu took a step forward to show the Witch-King that she would not be cowed by the great power granted to him by his master.
"'Soon will come a stranger. Her fate intertwined with his, and by her hand either to redeem or destroy'"
Her words were laced with a power that not even he could deny. It was truth, and as such it was a thing that he was bitter to accept. His blade's tip lifted an inch from the ground where it had rested as he replied, "Share the same fate? To redeem or destroy? Are you the one that shall fulfill such words?" Inconnu faintly nodded and he continued, "I would rid myself of much trouble then, ridding yourself of your head."
The Witch-King swung his sword into an upward slash, but Inconnu's reflexes reacted in time and her own blade met his only inches from her neck. Her eyes narrowed, her words chiding him, "You will do no such thing, not here, not in this place, nor will you ever be given the chance to end me. I have chosen to redeem you, to bring you back from the shadows and into the light. From what it seems I have already freed your mind from Sauron's. Your thoughts are your own, not his. Never again."
"My fate is of my own choosing!" He retaliated "What is to become of me is not of your concern!"
"Is that so?" Inconnu retorted, her tone nearly mocking "You have had no say in your fate, not after you accepted a ring from the Deceiver. No, you gave control of your fate to your master millennia ago. You no longer have a say in your fate Er-Murazor!"
"Cease to call me that name!" He shoved her away with his sword, forcing a fair amount of distance between them.
"It is yours nonetheless!" She yelled back, steady on her feet "I first gave you your very name back, a name once revered by men. Then I made your thoughts your own! No longer does your master dominate your mind, you are now the master of it!"
A long moment of silence filled the empty space between them before the Witch-King restated, "My fate is not of your concern woman, nor shall it ever be."
"You have no say in such!" She repeated "Our fates, our very souls, are inextricably tied to each other. In that same fashion, I also have no say."
"Walk away from this. What is to come will only lead to your destruction."
"If I did, then your destruction will be at the hands of another. "Her grey eyes watered, though it went unnoticed. "I simply cannot let that come to pass."
"Then you will die." His tone was cold, emotionless, and Inconnu's was hardened resolve.
"So be it."
Inconnu turned from him then, walking away from the clearing and back down the path to Imladris. Sleep was still needed for the events of the morning, yet she also needed to calm down after her encounter with the Witch-King.
Time. Time is what he needs to accept all this, to understand. Yet he wants me to explain it, but how can I when I do not understand?
She then stopped in her pace, looking up to find a break in the forest canopy. The soft moonlight highlighted her features, considered fine by many, and she closed her eyes.
Inhale. Exhale.
Inconnu may have walked away from him now, but she would be back. She would not give up on his fate. Her fate. Their fate.
Back at the Clearing
The Witch-King's gauntlet upon the longsword gripped it much more harshly after the woman left the clearing. In a mighty swing, he whirled around and his blade scarred the closest tree.
Curse that woman! His thoughts, no, his pride clamored. Damn her for daring to say such words to me!
Yes, how dare she tell you the truth.
The Witch-King growled, retaliating. Get out of my mind! I have humored this nonsense long enough!
I am unable to do that, and you have only "humored" your own whims.
Taken aback for the second time that night, he questioned the new thoughts of his mind. This wasn't him, it could not be.
Yet it is all the same. I am you. This has always been so before the ring was ever gifted to us.
The truth the woman spoke now had a stronger bite, the wound only deepening. He trembled slightly, feeling the pain of it.
She offers you a final chance for redemption. You recognize this, but why can you not accept it?
The Witch-King was the master of his own fate!
We both know the harsh, bitter truth of this particular lie.
He took in a ragged breath and looked up, barely seeing the moon in all its glory. The Witch-King could not really remember the life he had before this world of shadows, only pieces of emotions that had clung to him for thousands of years.
Would you like to see the world in the light? The true light, not this mockery of it.
The Witch-King looked down again, his hidden gaze fixing on the deep cut in the tree before him, marring its white bark with black.
You still don't know her name.
No, he certainly didn't know the name of the strange, defiant woman who promised his redemption.
Now the Witch-King knows that when Inconnu bites, it leaves a lasting impression... Whether or not that's good for her remains to be seen. And his conscience is also breaking through some more! Things are certainly going to become more interesting concerning the state of his psyche!
I don't own LOTR or the Witch-King for that matter, but I own Inconnu and Sverundr!
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